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__**Week 2: Strategic Planning **__ __**Week 4: Consumer Trends **__ __**Week of October 23, 2011 (Week 10-Trial Production) **__ __**Week of October 30, 2011: Branding **__ __**Week of November 28, 2011 (Week 14- Special Events) **__ __**Week of December 5, 2011 (Week 15- Product Safety) **__ __**Week of December 12, 2011 (Week 16-Product Components) **__ __**Week of January 6, 2012 (Week 17-Packaging) **__ __**Week of January 13, 2012 (Week 18-Product Planning) **__ __Week of January 19, 2012 (Week 20-Production)__ This week was probably my favorite week so far this year. We got to go to the Reese’s Plant! Two new things that I learned this week were that Reese’s makes their own peanut butter, and H.B. Reese was the founder of the PB cup. I honestly thought that Milton Hershey was. I’ve never realized before that Reese’s products were only affiliated with The Hershey Company and not started/owned by them. This was also really interesting to me because it made me feel like there is a lot more about the company that I don’t know that I can find out on candy wrappers, so I’m going to start looking at those a lot more closely now. Another interesting thing is that H.B. Reese actually worked for Mr. Hershey before starting his own business. Can you say rivalry? I wondered how they came to be in business with one another. Hopefully next week will be just as interesting as this week was! __Week of January 23, 2012 (Week 20-Warehousing)__ This week, we learned about warehousing. The most important fact to remember about this week is that the warehouse is the core of distribution. With operational factors coming into play, a warehouse ensures that the products get where they need to be. I thought making the posters in class was really fun. I liked being able to use some creativity in class. I think the most boring part may have been sitting through the lecture, but at the same time, I feel like the lecture was really informative and had a lot of valuable information in it. I would improve this lesson by maybe making it more interactive. I’m sure there’s probably some type of simulation that could be done to somewhat depict what goes on in a warehouse, and I think that would be very beneficial. __Week of January 30, 2012 (Week 21-Order Management)__ __Week of February 6, 2012 (Week 22-Distribution)__ There is a very strong connection between warehousing, order management, and distribution. It is very similar to the three points of a triangle; you need all three of the points to make it happen. Two overall connectors, if you will, are logistics and organization. The first step, or point, would be warehousing. Warehousing is where the entire product inventory made by the company is stored. The logistics that go into warehousing are countless. There are factors such as space, size, money, labor, temperature, location, and management to consider. To bring together the logistics, organization is extremely necessary. With organization, all of the afore mentioned factors are sorted out and put into effect with little to no issues. When the warehousing step is figured out, order management then comes into effect. Order management is the point on the triangle when the entire product inventory in the warehouse is given a destination. This determination of who, what, when, and where is the process of order management. Logistical factors such as what type of EDI system, management of the EDI system, and how the orders are put together control this point of the triangle. Without organization of these systems and all of the different orders coming in would complicate the process. Without the key step of order management, distribution would not be possible. Distribution is the process in which all of the orders are delivered to their destination. Some of the logistics of distribution include mode of transportation, route lengths, conflicting factors, and size of truck loads. The organization of these logistical factors determines whether or not the product will be delivered on time and whether or not the customer will be happy with the product. In conclusion, one step leads to another and the overall effect of the combination of warehousing, order management, and distribution is a customer who is happy with their product shipment. __Week of February 23, 2012 (Week 23-Public Relations)__ I think that Public Relations is a very interesting subject. I really like that the face of the company is really portrayed through how well its public relations are. A team of people can control how the company is viewed by the public, and that is somewhat mind blowing to me. Publicists paint a picture for the public to see, and we wouldn’t know any different from what they tell us. PR is different from advertising because advertising is focused around promoting the brand. PR is strictly for controlling the image of the company. I would say that, although PR is very interesting, advertising interests me more. I am probably a more creative person, so I would enjoy the creative aspect that comes with advertising better. __Week of March 2, 2012 (Week 24-Advertising)__ Advertising is an extremely interesting part of business, and probably one of my favorite. I really enjoy the creative aspect of it. When we were going through the presentation yesterday, I was kind of baffled by all of the different concepts that “the zoo” has come up with to make advertisements stand out. I am not the most technologically inclined so I would never be able to write code for a computer generated commercial, but I would definitely have a good time coming up with the concept for the commercial or advertisement. I would say that a career in advertising is definitely something that appeals to me because not only would it be exciting to make the advertisement, but it would be really cool to see the effect that the advertisement would have. I would have a lot of pride if the advertisement turned out to be a turning point for the company and gain them a 400-500% increase. This week was a great lesson, and I’m excited for next week! __Week of March 9, 2012 (Week 25-Product Placement)__ This week in class we learned about Product Placement. The most beneficial activity we did in class that really helped me to understand the whole concept was when we went through Mr. Bergman’s presentation because it really helped me to connect with when I go shopping and how I make my decisions. I learned that the items that catch the most attention from consumers are in the “strike zone”, or at eye level on the store shelves. We also learned about where heavier items are most beneficial, what attracts kids more, and what adults tend to gravitate towards when shopping. When I heard that the average consumer spends less than a minute in the aisle, I could totally connect with that because my shopping tactics reflect that statistic. It was really interesting for me to be able to connect my own shopping habits with the statistical habits of the average shopper. I was able to understand and process this week’s concept pretty well, so I really do not have any additional questions.
 * This week in class, I learned about doing a SWOT analysis for different companies in order to assess their competitive position among other businesses. I also learned that Hershey has a lot more competition than I originally knew about. I also found out that they have some pretty good recognition for being a smaller company, which is awesome. I think the thing that I found the most interesting was how well the SWOT analysis worked. I really enjoyed having to do our presentations to the class and seeing everybody else's projects because it really opened my eyes to how companies compete with each other. How do you accurately determine the different components of a SWOT analysis for every company? **
 * In class this week, we learned about trends in the consumer society. Hershey has to follow these trends, along with all other corporations, in order to stay successful and get their brands out there. I learned that there is a lot of new technology coming out that is going to affect the way goods are sold. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this because as much as I enjoy technology, I do not think that it needs to run our society and how we do things. What happened to the old fashioned way of doing things? I think that technology today is too distracting, sure some of it is extremely helpful, but some of it, such as Facebook and other social media sites, are major distractions that really don't have a benefit and keep you from communicating face to face. I find this to be interesting because I'm interested in what other people think about technology eventually getting to the point where it runs our lives. Who can honestly say they want that? I know for sure I can't. Companies like Hershey use Facebook, apps, other websites, and TV to do most of their advertising. They do this because that is what our society depends on to find out new information about new goods and such. I find it interesting that we are in a recession right now, and those are the means of communicating advertisements to the people. Yet, years ago, they didn't have these means of communication but were still doing better economically than we are now. It may not exactly be relevant, but I think it's an important aspect to remember. **
 * I thought this week was really cool because we got to see hands on what Hershey does when they are developing new or current products. I learned that the machines they use are not only extraordinarily expensive, but very sparse. They have also had their machines for a very long time because they have a very good quality of life. Another thing I learned was that the building we went to for our field trip houses a small production plant. They are able to make certain products in that building, and most importantly, that is where they try out possible new products. Two things that I found really interesting were the tasting room and the product screening. It's really cool how the tasting room is set up and the procedures that the tasters have to go through. The product screening is also intriguing because they stand behind a two way glass that allows them to see people's reactions without the people feeling pressured by the observers. **
 * This week we learned about the logistics behind branding. It's a lot more than just deciding on the colors for the product wrapping. Something I learned this week is that when companies work on their brands, they have to take emotions and though processes into account. They have to analyze how the consumer things in order to deliver the best quality product. Another thing I learned this week is that how a company portrays itself can affect its brand's success. If a company isn't portraying itself in a good way, then consumers are not going to want to buy their brands. One thing I found interesting this week was the thought process behind branding. It's really fascinating to see how much work goes into giving a brand the right image. Another thing I found interesting this week was the presentation. I thought it was very helpful with learning the concepts of branding, and I really feel like I took a lot from it. **
 * This week in class, I learned about special event planning. This included learning about why companies do special event planning. They do special event planning because it helps them to get their new brands noticed, and it gets them more customers. I also learned that there are a lot of logistics that go into event planning. There are partnerships that are considered and specific details that are done. I find it really interesting that a lot of companies make partnerships based off of the seasons and what they know about customer wants. I also found it interesting that Hershey has a lot of offers from different movies to make partnerships with them. Before this, I hadn't really been putting two and two together, and now I understand a lot more about what I see in the stores. **
 * This week in class, we learned about product safety. This is a really important subject because as consumers, we have to be sure that we are getting safe products. I learned that recalls happen way more frequently than I had originally thought. I also learned that companies have to go through a lot of steps to actually have a recall. And even though it's a lot of work, some of them do it only as a precaution. I found this really interesting because when a company does something that they're not required to do, it shows more integrity towards that company. I also found it interesting that there are recalls like every day. That just goes to show that there are millions of products out there, the majority of which I know nothing about. It's kind of scary when I think about it. **
 * My experience yesterday was a good one. Actually, I think that was one of the best presentations of the course so far. It might even be the best. It was really cool learning about all of the work associated with the final products at Hershey. I really liked being able to talk to the people themselves about what they do. I really feel like I got so much more knowledge from being able to talk to them instead of listening to a lecture. I hope we do this in the future. **
 * <span style="font-family: 'calibri','sans-serif';">I thought this week's lesson was really cool. I liked learning about all of the different factors considered when packaging is chosen for products. It's also really interesting to learn the effect of packaging on consumers. One of the factors considered in packaging is the color of the actual packaging around the product. Consumers are attracted to certain products sometime just by the color of the packaging. I also learned that if packaging is made from certain materials, such as eco-friendly materials, then consumers might buy them over a cheaper product because they like that they are contributing to a better environment. I'm interested in learning more about packaging and the effects of different colors on consumers. **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">This week, we learned about the planning process that is used when companies put together their products. I learned that based off of the supply and demand reports the companies receive, companies only order certain amounts of materials for their products. They don’t want to order too many or too little materials; they have to get it just right to maintain a profit for the company. I also learned that there are different lists and schedules that are used to help organize this process. I thought that was neat because it was kind of relatable to me making a to-do list for what I have to do during the week. I thought this week’s lesson was pretty neat, and I’m excited to see next week’s. **
 * Step 1-** The first step in the Order Management process is to take the order. There are many different ways in which this can be done, most commonly through fax, email, or telephone. However, there are now more developed electronic systems in which this process can be completed. An example of an electronic process is the EDI system. This is an entirely web-based process, which has improved the speed and efficiency of the Order Management process. To take the order, the receiver of the order will either record by hand or input into the system the order that has been requested. If it is through an EDI system, then the order is automatically sent to the computer and basically records itself. Once the order is taken, it can then be sent to be processed.
 * Step 2-** The next step in the Order Management process is to record the order. The order is recorded when it is received, but entering it is another step entirely. To enter an order, there needs to be information such as the source, price, credit limit, and allocated supply. This information helps the person filling the order to know the limits of the order and to prepare it to the exact specifications. The OMS is able to record all of the information and take it into consideration. It is especially important to note that when the supply allocated is determined, it is due to ATP (Available to Promise). ATP is the amount of supply that is available to be sent to a customer.
 * Step 3-**The third step in this process is Management by Exception. This is basically separating “no touch” orders vs. “exception” orders. The difference between the two is simple. A “no touch” order is an order that has no problems with it when it is submitted. Everything from the source to the allocated supply is correct. An “exception” order is noted when there is an error in the source, price, credit limit, or supply allocated. If there is an “exception” order, then Customer Service will halt the order until the issues are worked out. The OMS is designed to make these separations accurately.
 * Step 4-** Next, the fourth step is ATP, which is how the orders are planned, split, etc. The ATP process is considered as another exception, especially considering how complex the process is. The basis of this process is FIFA, which stands for First In, First Allocated. This basically means that whatever order came in first is the order that gets filled first. The only bounds on the FIFA basis are time, complexity, and production capacity. The results and conditions of ATP can be dependent upon the item and season. When there are issues concerning this, the Supply Planning and Customer Service areas work together to come up with a resolution.
 * Step 5-** Finally, the last step is Transportation. Perhaps the most important part of the whole process of Order Management is transportation. The product needs to get to the right place, and there’s only one step that can take care of that. Consumers get their products and businesses get their orders because of transportation. There is a separate branch that takes care of transportation. When orders are filled and all exceptions are taken care of, there is a delivery note sent to the transportation system that makes them aware. That system then takes care of it. Planning for transportation is usually done 48 hours in advance in order to allow ample time to get all of the preparations in order.